It’s sometimes easier to continue to rent than to work on buying a home. Some people are afraid they can't qualify for a loan or afford to buy a home. The market, however, has made the prospect of owning a home available to more people and offers a good selection of attractive homes for sale. One might be just right for you.

The chart below may surprise you. It compares your gross monthly income to an approximate home value based on a fixed rate of interest.

More good news! Lenders offer a wide variety of Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMS) that allow buyers to qualify at much lower rates than shown.

Government sponsored or insured financing allows for minimum down payments. HUD's FHA doesn't actually make loans. It insures loans so that if buyers default for some reason, the lenders will get their money.

This encourages lenders to give loans to people who might not otherwise qualify for a loan. You may be able to get an FHA loan with 3% down or even less. Talk to an FHA-approved lender to see if an FHA loan might be right for you.

MAXIMUM LOAN LIMITS BY COUNTY FHA INSURED LOANS